Her Man
by Sarahkw
Summary: Following one's heart isn't the easy path but it's usually the right one. Post Zoe and Wade Breakup. One Shot.


**I have some downtime at work right now since I'm leaving the company for another job and when I have downtown, I write. This is my take on what would happen if I were given the chance to fix the mess on Hart of Dixie right now. Basically, I keep waiting for Zoe and Wade to have a big confrontation and if/when they do, this is how I'd like it to go down. **

**Inspired by the Gary Allan song "Her Man." I highly recommend listening to it - to me, it describes Wade to a 'T.' **

***Contains a few spoilers**

**THINGS I OWN: A lot more than I realized now that I'm packing to move to another state. THINGS I DON'T OWN: Hart of Dixie.**

It just wasn't _fair. _

_He_ had cheated on _her._

_He_ had ruined what _she_ thought was a pretty good thing.

_He_ had caused _her_ to lose sleep and gain three pounds from stupid pies she didn't even like.

Everything had been _his_ fault. And yet_ she_ was the one pacing her carriage house, nerves frayed as she struggled between her head and her heart.

It was George's fault. And Tansy's. Lavon's. Lemon's too. And Jonah's, couldn't forget him. Every single one of them had pointed out the obvious: that she was still hung up on Wade freaking Kinsella despite everything he'd put her through.

George had been a mistake. She'd had too much wine and made a big, rather public, declaration of her feelings for him. He'd calmly steered her out of the Town Square and into his truck, drove her home, and put her to bed. He'd returned the next morning wearing his lawyer face and, after some coaxing, had drawn her out of her self-proclaimed bed of shame. They'd sat on her front porch and talked, really talked, about their so-called feelings for one another. She had expected it to feel like a slap to the face when George had told her he'd realized during his time dating Tansy that he thought of Zoe more as a sister than a girlfriend. Except it hadn't. She'd agreed, explaining that she thought she should love him which is why she had convinced herself, a bottle of wine deep, that she actually did.

After profusely apologizing for her role in George and Tansy's breakup, George had smiled sadly and told her to reconsider things with Wade, at least talk to him, hear him out. It was obvious, George said, that she still had feelings for the guy and even Ray Charles could have seen that Wade was as in love with her as ever. Zoe hadn't been ready to accept the truth yet, but had admittedly started to thaw towards Wade, going to the grand re-opening of the Rammer Jammer and exchanging small talk in Lavon's kitchen.

The run in with Tansy had been a bit less pleasant. Their paths had crossed outside The Butter Stick and Tansy had let her have it for her part in coming between her and George. Once she'd finished letting Zoe know exactly what she thought of her, she too pointed out that she was still hung up on Wade, despite what she wanted to believe, and that she needed to deal with that before she moved on, be it to George or otherwise.

To his credit, Lavon had been more or less neutral throughout the ordeal. He'd been Team Zoe at first but had softened when he'd realized after the casino night how much Wade was hurting. Lately though, Zoe had caught on to him, pointing out in subtle ways how much Wade had changed, how hard he was trying with the Rammer Jammer. Zoe could see it herself, of course, but she didn't necessarily appreciate Lavon's new Team Wade alignment. She also didn't appreciate that Lavon had let him move out of the gate house while she was in New York, the bit of news that had sent her into a tailspin since Lavon had dropped her off at her place after picking her up from the airport three hours earlier.

Lemon had taken a different approach. She'd cornered Zoe, brazen as always, after a night at the Rammer Jammer and demanded to know what Zoe's intentions were towards Wade. Did she plan on eventually giving him another chance or was she completely done with him? Because, according to Lemon, Wade was still crazy about her and needed her to either give him a chance to prove it or else let him go for good so he could move on. The conversation with Lemon, coupled with a wedding invitation, had been what had sent her to New York, eager for a break from Bluebell to sort through her feelings. Not before she'd had one last roll between the sheets with Wade, however, a mistake she couldn't fully say she regretted.

But then Jonah had been on her flight and seated directly behind her, listening in as she went on and on to the poor soul assigned to sit next to her about her relationship ups and downs. Having barely made the flight, she hadn't noticed Jonah until a flight attendant had called for a doctor. Once they'd saved the passenger's life, Jonah had hit on her more boldly than ever, suggesting mile high club membership. As she'd told him to go to hell, she realized that even though she'd rejected Wade's ridiculous come ons one right after the other, she'd been amused by them, by him. It hit her like lighting from clear sky that not only was she still hung up on Wade, she loved him.

Her time in New York had not done what it was intended to do. It was supposed to clear her mind, let her enjoy some much needed time away from Bluebell with some of her oldest and dearest friends. And, she supposed, her mother. She'd put on a happy face, but even in the city that was the exact opposite of Bluebell, everything reminded her of Wade. The bartenders didn't know her drink of choice. The hipsters on the corners wore plaid. And the wedding. The damn wedding. It was normal – no sign of any sci-fi characters anywhere – but the whole time, even with a fake smile plastered across her face, she'd thought of Wade. Stupid Wade.

When her plane landed in Bluebell, she had a plan. She, Zoe Hart, was going to let go and play it all by ear, even if that was completely against every fiber of her being, to just let a situation figure itself out without mass amounts of overthinking. Except just minutes before they turned into the plantation, Lavon had interrupted the detailed recap of her trip to tell her Wade have moved off the plantation and into a little house on the edge of town, near one of his favorite fishing spots.

Zoe had demanded to know why he'd left. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it was because of her. And she had been stewing ever since. Did he move because he was over her? Or did he move because he still had feelings for her and couldn't handle being so close? And why did she care so much?

_Because you love him, idiot,_ she heard her subconscious shouting at her.

In a moment of desperation, she picked up the phone and dialed her mother. Surely Candice Hart would reason with her, remind her that Wade had cheated and once a cheater, always a cheater and all that jazz. She'd barely paused to greet her mother before launching into her laundry list of problems, all Wade-centric.e

"And then he moved off the plantation. Why did he move? What does that even mean? Does he still care about me? Or is he totally over me? What do I do?" Zoe finally finished her rant and waited for her mother to shake some sense into her.

"Zoe, darling, what does your heart tell you?" Candice asked. Zoe frowned.

"What? Am I talking to my mother? Candice Hart? You sound like her, but you don't_ sound_ like her."

"I'm trying to prevent you from making the same mistakes I did. Follow your heart, Zoe. Do what's going to make you happy, even if that's taking Wade back."

Zoe hung up the phone a few minutes later and sat on the edge of her bed, thinking. Listen to her heart… Realizing she smelled like airline, she wandered to her bathroom and filled her tub with hot water and bubbles. She submerged herself a few minutes later and rested against her bath pillow, breathed in deeply.

She remained that way for a while, not moving until she reached prune status and the water started to cool. She submerged herself under the water to wet her hair and reached for her shampoo. The scent of guava filled the air. She gasped and dropped the bottle into the water, everything suddenly crystal clear.

* * *

It was just after two in the morning and he was dog tired.

He was proud of his work at the Rammer Jammer, of what he and Lemon were creating. Realizing his dreams, however, was tiresome, made more so by the fact that he'd found the longer and harder he worked, the less time he had to think. He double then triple checked the lock as he closed up the bar for the night, one robbery more than enough for his tenure as bar owner. Stifling a yawn, he made to where he'd parked his car hours earlier, eager to get home to his to too empty bed and sleep for a few hours before he was up before the sun to open the Rammer Jammer for breakfast.

Rounding a corner, he stopped in his tracks.

Zoe Hart was sitting on the hood of his car, waiting, he realized for him. His heart stopped and sped up at the same time, even if he knew that wasn't possible. She'd already seen him, her big doe eyes on his, drawing him to take steps towards her. Slowly, she slid off the hood.

"What can I do for you, Doc?" he asked carefully, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously.

"I hate you," Zoe stated as she drew herself up to her full height which was minimal, her simple ballet flats not giving her any added stature.

"Reckon that's what I deserve," Wade said with a sigh. He'd thought they were past this but then again, he'd thought their casual monogamy arrangement was back on before she'd up and left for New York.

"Exactly," Zoe said. "I should hate you. And I don't. Which makes me hate you. Because if I could really, truly hate you, it would make this," Zoe spread her arms out wide, "so much easier. Instead, I don't hate you. I – the opposite of hate you. Which is a real problem because all I really want to do is forget that Tom and Wanda's wedding ever happened.

"But I can't, because you cheated on me which is the one thing that you knew would hurt me to the core. How can I trust you again? How can I be foolish enough to even consider forgiving you? My mom told me to listen to my heart and then I was taking a bath and I used my stupid guava shampoo which reminded me of you and that dumb prank war we had and here I am, making absolutely no sense because that's what you do to me. You make me lose all good sense!"

Wade waited while Zoe caught her breath and her thoughts caught up with her. He knew there was more. He'd let her have her say – so long as he got his.

"I told George I had feelings for him. But I didn't. I never did, even when I thought I did. He was just familiar and safe and reminded me of everything I left in New York. He was the guy I was supposed to be with in my dumb picture but then you came along and changed that picture and you know what Wade? I liked the picture I had with you. But you threw it all away!" Zoe's voice cracked, the hurt she'd been disguising so well now on the surface. "You threw it all away." She looked away then, using the back of her hand to wipe away the tears that hard started to fall.

"You done?" Wade asked. She looked back at him.

"No," she said stubbornly. He nodded and crossed his arms, waiting for her to continue.

"My entire life, I haven't been good enough," she told him. "I wasn't a good enough daughter for the man I thought was my father to love even if I weren't his. I wasn't a good enough daughter for my mother to skip one of her fancy parties to come to a school play or an honors reception. I wasn't even a good enough doctor to get the fellowship I chased after my entire life. The only person who thought I was good enough for anything was Harley and he died before I had a chance to realize it. And then I met you and I thought maybe, just maybe, this incredible guy might see through all of my flaws and accept me for who I am. But I wasn't good enough for you either."

"That is not true," Wade growled, taking several steps forward to close the gap between them. "You are everything to me." He wouldn't dare let her get away with thinking she wasn't enough for him.

"Is that so?" Zoe challenged. She felt her heart racing in his close proximity. "Is that why you cheated on me? Because I'm everything to you – except what, blonde? Blue eyes? Was she taller than me? If I'm everything to you, what characteristic did she have that was so damn unique that you just had to leave the bar and go home with her?"

"You gave me a damn sign!" Wade erupted. "I was just getting my head wrapped around the fact that you, a smart, beautiful, amazing doctor with a big heart and a smile that just makes everything okay, wanted to be with me, a small town bartender with not much to offer besides my heart. But then you went and started believing in me and thinking I could really, actually do this whole bar thing. And that scared the hell out of me."

"Why?" Zoe demanded. "Why did someone who cares about you and only wanted you to believe in yourself scare you?"

"Because the only other person who has ever believed in me is my momma," Wade replied, his emotions now in the open for Zoe to see. "And then she died. Ever since, I've struggled. I had a drunk for a father and brother I heard from every once in a while, just long enough for him to tell me how well he was doing for himself. I didn't know how to believe in myself, let alone deal with someone else thinking I could do something like open my own bar!

"But there you were, thinking I could do whatever I wanted – open a bar, fly to the damn moon… And you know what, Zoe? I started to think maybe I could. Not only that, I wanted to. I wanted you to be proud of me. I wanted to be the guy that you deserve to be with. Battle of the Bands… at that exact moment, winning that was everything to me. If I could win, I could prove myself worthy of you. I could open my own bar and do something respectable with my life. Have a career, as you put it.

"I lost though. And when I lost, I felt like I lost everything. And everything, Zoe, was you. In my alcohol-hazed mind, I'd already lost you and so yes, I did cheat on you. With a woman who meant absolutely nothing to me.

"I know I hurt you. God knows I know I hurt you. But dammit Zoe, I'm hurting too! I screwed up and I lost the only girl that has ever meant anything to me and I have to live with that. Why do you think I moved out of the gate house? I couldn't stand being that close to you and not be with you. It just hurts too damn much!"

For the first time, Zoe truly saw how much Wade was hurting. The dark circles under his eyes told her he wasn't sleeping much better than she was and she knew from experience that long hours at work weren't always out of necessity but born from distraction. She moved so she too could lean against the car. She searched her mind for something to say but nothing felt quite right. Wade however knew there was only one thing left that he could say.

"Zoe, I love you," he said softly. "I know I'm too late. But I need you to know that. I need you to know that I love you." He waited with baited breath, completely in the dark on how she would react. It felt like an eternity but was no more than thirty or so seconds when he had his answer.

"I love you too," she said quietly. "And that really, really scares me."

Slowly, carefully, he reached for her hand and twined their fingers together. Just the simple gesture brought peace to his soul, her touch calming him, clicking a piece of his shattered heart, a heart shattered on his own accord, back in place.

"What now?" he asked. Zoe shrugged.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I know I want to forgive you and try to move on but trusting you again…"

"Will be hard," Wade finished. He squeezed her hand gently. "But I will do whatever it takes." He raised their clasped hands and placed a soft kiss on the back of Zoe's. "I'll wait as long as it takes."

Zoe surprised him then, moving so she could curl into his chest. He readily wrapped his arms around her, all too willing to hold her again. He kissed the top of her hair and closed his eyes, breathing her in. He swore right then, to God, his mother, Harley and whoever else was listening, that he would do right by Zoe, do whatever he had to do to make sure she was happy and knew how much she was loved if he could just have the chance.

"Come on, Doc," he said after a while, reluctantly pulling away. "Let me drive you home." He escorted her around to the passenger side of the car and opened the door for her, helped her in. He stifled another yawn as he slid behind the wheel. To his surprise, Zoe held out her hand for him to take. Even though he needed to shift gears, he took hers in his, letting go only long enough to move the gearshift. They rode back to the plantation in silence and once there, he got out and opened her car door again, walked her as far as her front door.

"Get some sleep," he told her. He reached out and brushed a stray piece of hair out of her face.

"You look like you could use some too," she replied.

"I've got to be back at the Rammer Jammer again in a few hours," he told her. "I reckon I'll get some sleep one of these days." Zoe studied him for long moment. Wade shifted from one foot to the other, nervous and fighting the urge to pull her inside and into bed, just to sleep. But it was too soon for sleepovers, physical or otherwise.

"I'm proud of you," she told him suddenly. "I'm sorry if that scares you, but I'm proud of you. I see how hard you're working. Everyone expected you to go the route of your dad, but you didn't. And I'm proud of you." Wade nodded, his throat suddenly tight.

"That's not so scary to hear anymore," he told her. He reached into his pocket then, remembering something his dad had given him weeks ago, not long after he and Zoe had broken up. He found what he was looking for in his wallet and returned the piece of leather to his jeans. Silently, he placed a fine, long gold chain around Zoe's neck.

"What's this?" she asked, reaching for the pendent that fell low on her chest. It was a small, gold heart, the finish dulled. She could tell by looking at it that it was old.

"My dad gave it to me not long after – everything that happened between us. He gave it to my momma when they were young. Turns out Earl made his own share of mistakes when they were just starting out. When he finally talked her into giving him another chance, he bought her this with the money he made painting the fence at the elementary school. He told her it was his heart. The deal was, she'd keep it until she felt she knew without a shade of doubt that his heart was hers and didn't need the physical reminder. Then she'd give it back to him, let him know he had her heart too – just like she'd always had his.

"I know it might sound hokey, Doc, but my dad has carried this in his pocket all these years, until he gave it to me. I might not deserve to ask you to hold on to this, but since Christmas Eve, you've been the one who had faith in us, that we'd work out despite everything. Right now, your faith is shaken. And that's my fault. So I'm gonna be the one that has the faith in us, that we can get through this. When you're ready, if that's year from now or five years from now, you can give it back to me."

For the second time tonight, there were tears in Zoe's eyes. Wade felt the strings tugging at his heart. He couldn't taking seeing her cry.

"Hey," he said softly, cradling her face in his hands and using the pads of his thumbs to wipe away her tears. "Don't do that."

"Of course I'll hold on to it," Zoe said, knowing she'd never take it off. "And for what it's worth, I've still got some faith in us. Just be patient with me."

"As patient as a saint," Wade agreed. "It's really late, Doc. Go on inside, get some sleep." He leaned down and kissed her forehead. He wanted more, so much more, but there was plenty of time for that.

"You could come in…," Zoe ventured.

"No," Wade said, shaking his head. "Slow. Baby steps. No matter how bad I want to, we're going to do this right this time. And that means I leave you here at your front door." Zoe smiled which quickly turned into a yawn.

"Goodnight," she whispered.

"'Night, Zoe," Wade replied. He turned to leave, but had one more thing he wanted to ask before he retired for the night. "Zoe?"

"Yeah?" she asked, already inside, talking to him now through the screened door.

"What are you doing Saturday?" Zoe shrugged.

"Not much."

"Can I take you on a date?" Wade asked. "A real one? I heard about this orange orchard…" He'd pick every orange in the damn orchard if it would make Zoe smile the way she was right then.

"I'll bring lunch," she confirmed. Wade returned her smile.

"Sleep tight, Doc," he said.

He headed back to his place then, wishing for the moment that he still lived in the gate house. He didn't bother turning on a light as he stumbled towards his bedroom, finally flicking on a bedside lamp. He tugged off his boots and shirt and then went to his chest of drawers.

He pulled open the top one and took out a small fireproof box. Digging his keys of his pocket, he found the small one that opened it and lifted the lid. He moved the various papers and legal documents associated with the Rammer Jammer aside and reached for the small, velvet box he'd tucked in the very bottom of it. He opened it and smiled, his first genuine smile in a long while.

The heart pendant wasn't the only thing Earl had given him that night. And one day, someday, it wouldn't be the only piece of his mother's jewelry he'd give to Zoe Hart.

* * *

**Thanks for reading and reviewing!**


End file.
